Black silkies

[CarolinaHen]

What features tell you the sex of the bird?

When they are old enough, the comb on a male gets very large. Prior to that, the shape of the crest should give you clues. A male's crest has "streamers" which are longer feathers that stick out at odd angles. A female's crest should look more like a Pom Pom. In the pics of the one I posted above, I thought I had a young cockerel until she was about 4 months old. Silkies are notoriously difficult to sex :/

 

[Feathersprings]

I am loving my youngsters

Glad to finally know the one is a cockerel. He looked very girly an then one day turned into a boy.. a week later he was crowing !

 

[TurtlePowerTrav]

Quote:

Quote:
x2. I have a dark Blue that has the green sheen on some feathers. He will not be showable, too dark Blue, almost Black looking but I know he is a Blue. I am planning on test breeding him to my light Blue to try and get correct color.

But I do have a Black Catdance youngster. I think it is a he, but not positive at almost 4mo.

 

[championsumatra]

I have done that with my Blue sumatras, some come out Dark and some will come out light. I generally will breed a splash to that dark of a bird. It works they very well most of them will turn out a nice shade of Blue.

 

[moomoodiddy]

just got a dozen and a half true black silkie hatching eggs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! from GERI GODINA I have been wanting some for a few years now and finally pulled the trigger lol and since them birds r so perfect is it ok to inbreed? I will be using these blacks for my cuckoos and paints but also am wanting to breed blacks

 

[Feathersprings]

just got a dozen and a half true black silkie hatching eggs!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!! from GERI GODINA I have been wanting some for a few years now and finally pulled the trigger lol and since them birds r so perfect is it ok to inbreed? I will be using these blacks for my cuckoos and paints but also am wanting to breed blacks

Congratulations!!! Hope your hatch goes well. Breeding mother to son and fathers to daughters is recommended over breeding to siblings. I have 6 blacks in my black pen now and have the first two eggs from them, one in the incubator with cochin eggs and one under my broody. I cant wait for mine to grow up so I have more girls laying Next spring is going to be fun! For now I have put a Splash and my broody who ids blue in with the group but will breed all black in the spring.

 

[liljunie]

My blacks from CJ are finally producing eggs! I have 12 in the incubator! I can't wait to see how these chicks turn out!

 

[moomoodiddy]

Congratulations!!! Hope your hatch goes well. Breeding mother to son and fathers to daughters is recommended over breeding to siblings. I have 6 blacks in my black pen now and have the first two eggs from them, one in the incubator with cochin eggs and one under my broody. I cant wait for mine to grow up so I have more girls laying Next spring is going to be fun! For now I have put a Splash and my broody who ids blue in with the group but will breed all black in the spring.

r urs bro and sis

 

[Feathersprings]

r urs bro and sis

They are from two different lines , three from each. They were different ages when I got them.. I guess it is possible I could have sibling in there but I dont think so.

 

[minihorse927]

Anyone willing to sell some hatching eggs from their show black silkes? I'm going to be in the market for some this next few weeks. I'm trying to put my black silkie own back together for next year.